Shock-absorber for valves.



E. A. PERKINS.

SHOGK ABSORBER FOR VALVES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16,1913. I

Patented Mar. '24, 1914'.

' 2 BHEETS-SHEET 1.

{QM Inventor:

E. A. PERKINS. SHOCK ABSORBER FOR VALVES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16,1913.

1,091,238, Patented Mar. 24, 1914.

' ZSHEETS-SHEET 2. E Wl'flv mm mm 43 ..........I1Hl| Inventor: 5% Q,43mm EDWIN A. PERKINS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SHOCK-ABSORBER FOR VALVES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 24,1914.

Application filed June 16, 1913. Serial No. 773,891:

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN AJPERKINS, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shock-Absorbers forValves, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to cushioning devices adapted for use with valvesand similar mechanisms, and its novelty consists in the construction andadaptation of the parts, as will be more specifically hereinafterpointed out.

The invention has been applied more particularly in connection withpuppet valves used in air compressors and will be described in suchconnection, but it will be understood that it may be used in anyrelation where the principles governing it areapplicable.

The energy delivered by a puppet valve when contacting with its seat oncoming to rest must be absorbed by a force acting through a distance.The product of this force times the distance is work which must equalthe energy to be absorbed. If the distance is very small the force mustbe very large, and if the distance can be increased the force can bedecreased.

It is the object of this invention to de crease the force by increasingthe distance.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through thecylinder of an air compressor showing the puppet valves in elevation;Fig. 2 is a similar but enlarged section through one of the inletvalves; Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2 but of one of the outletvalves; Fig. 4 is a section of a modified form of an inlet valve showinga modified or compound form of the cushioning device; Fig. 5 is a detailof one of the ordinary cushion plates; and Fig. 6 is a detail of one ofthe intermediate rings used with the compound form of the device.

In the drawings, 10 represents the cylin der of a usual form of aircompressor, 11 being the piston, 12 the piston rod, 13 the inlet conduitand 14 the outlet conduit.

15 and 16 are inlet valves, and 17 and 18 are outlet valves controllingthe flow of the air into and out of the cylinder. Both of the inletvalves are alike. They each comprise a valve disk 20, a valve stem 21, astop 22 and a retracting spring 23. A cage 24 set within the frame ofthe compressor is provided with a seat 25 cooperating with the disk 20.A" tubular flange 26 surrounds the valve stem2l and against its loweredge the stop 22 1s adapted to impinge if the stroke of the valve islong enough. The cage is also provided with a depending annular gang;27, and with inlet apertures 28,

Each inlet valve is set in aremovable portion of the cylinder casingcomprising a tubular recess 30 to receive the valve stem, and itssurrounding spring. This recess is bounded by an annular flange 31 andon its outer side is an annular groove 32 ada ted to receive a series ofsuperimposed cus iion wicking 34 or other suitable absorbent carrier foroil. Oil is placed between the cushion rings or plates and within theannular groove 32, and the places of contact between the cage and thecylinder casingare suitably packed, as indicated at 35.

Both of the outlet valves are alike. They each comprise a tubularvalve'40 on the end of a stem 41, an internal retracting spring 42. Theupper edge 43 of the valve stem serves as a stop. A cage 44 set withinthe frame of the compressor surrounds the valve. It is provided with aseat 45 cooperating with the valve 40. It is also provided with areverted annular flange 450. Each outlet valve is set in a removableportion of the cylinder recess 50, bounded on the inner edge by anannular flange 51. This recess is adapted to receive a series ofsuperimposed cushion rings or plates 33 in all respects like the similarplates described as used with the inlet valves'and they are surroundedby a mass of wicking 34 or other suitable absorbent carrier for oil.

In Fig. 4 there is illustrated a modified form of the device shown inFig. 3, in which the reverted annular flange 450 is made shorter, and inaddition to the cushion rings 33 which are reduced. in number, there isprovided under the wicking 34 which is made smaller in quantity, aseries of vertically arranged. cushion plates 333, and intermediatethese plates and the plates 33, there are arranged two rings 36 and 37with beveled contacting edges, the outer and lower ring being split asshown in Fig. 6.

In Fig. 5 there is shown a detail of one of the cushion rings 33 showingoil channels 330 with which it is preferably provided.

casing comprising an annular 7 0 rings or plates 33 surrounded by a massof When a puppet valve without a cushioned I is quite within the skillof the ordinary seat comes to rest, the valve and the seat being rigid,there is no distance through which the force exerted can act.Consequently the force is excessive and the stresses set up exceed theelastic limit of the surface metal and it is crushed a little. Thisaction being continued the valve is allowed to settle an appreciableamount and the distance thus provided reduces the force and its stressesto within the elastic limit of the metal. It is in this manner'that suchvalves wear when not cushioned. When new, under a magnifying glass, themetal plates present a roughened surface, but after the valve has beenused this surface is seen to have been battered down and to have becomesmooth and polished in com parison with its original appearance. It isalso quite usual for the metal of the valves and valve seats to becomecrystallized and brittle under such continued stresses near the elasticlimits of the metal.

With the described invention the necessary distance for the force ofimpact to act through is originally provided by the presence' of theseries of cushion rings 33 under the flange 27 of the inlet valve andthe flange 450 of the outlet valve. These rings are superimposed oneabove the other and may be used dry or immersed in oil. If used dry theywill gradually batter down to such smooth surfaces that they will be invery close contact and their cushioning effect will be lost and theywill have to be replaced or'their contacting faces roughened. Ifimmersed in oil the cushioning efiect and wear of impact willpractically all come upon the oil so that the wear upon the plates willbe much lessened. Other fluids than oil may be employed, and any mediumwhich will form in films between the adjacent surfaces of the cushionrings, and is otherwise .suitable, may be employed.

The cushion plates must be kept in contact and confined against lateraldisplacement. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated the cushionrings are located within the annular recess in the casing for thatpurpose. The surrounding mass of wicking will prevent their movement inan outward direction and the inner flange of the casing will preventtheir movement in an inward direction. In the modified form illustratedin Fig. 4t the use of the intermediate beveled rings allows thedirection of the force to be varied and thus utilizes the strength ofthe casing wall to resist the force exerted.

It will be understood, of course, that the cushion plates or rings maybe so arranged as to absorb the shock of the impact of a moving portionof the valve instead of a moving portion of the cage embodying the valveseat. A modification of this nature mechanic to accomplish and wouldconstitute no departure from the principles of the invention.

hat I claim is:

1. In an air compressor, or similar mechanism provided with valves andcooperating valve seats adapted to be brought together with force, ashock absorbing device, comprising a series of contacting platesconfined within a limited lateral area and adapted to receive the impactof the moving valve when it is brought to its seat, in combination witha fluid medium in which the plates are immersed.

2. In an air compressor, or similar mechanism provided with valves andcooperating valve seats adapted to be brought together with force, ashock absorbing device, comprising a series of contacting platesconfined within a limited lateral area and adapted to receive the impactof the moving valve when it is brought to its seat, in combination witha fluid medium in which the plates are immersed, and means forpreventing the escape of such medium.

3. In an air compressor, or similar mechanism provided with valves andcooperating valve seats adapted to be brought together with force, ashock absorbing device, comprising a series of contacting platesconfined within a limited lateral area and adapted to receive the impactof the moving valve when it is brought to its seat, in combination witha fluid medium in which the plates are immersed, and means forpreventing the escape of such medium including an adjacent mass ofabsorbent material.

4. In an air compressor, or similar mechanism provided with valves andcooperating valve seats adapted to be brought together with force, ashock absorbing device, comprising a series of contacting platesconfined within a limited lateral area and adapted to receive the impactof the moving valve when it is brought to its seat, in combination witha fluid medium in which the plates are immersed, and means forpreventing the escape of such medium including an adjacent mass ofabsorbent material such as wicking.

5. In combination, a valve seat, a valve, a rigid member moving with thevalve and a series of contacting plates against which the moving memberis adapted to impact as the valve reaches its seat, and a fluid mediumbetween and surrounding the plates.

6. In combination, a casing provided with a recess adapted to containseries of con tacting plates, a cage within the casing provided with avalve seat, a valve within the cage and a portion of the cage rigid withthe valve seat in contact with the plates and adapted to be impactedagainst the plates as the valve is forced to its seat.

7. In combination, a casing provided With a recess adapted to contain aseries of contacting plates, a cage Within the casing provided with avalve seat, a valve within the cage and a portion of the cage rigid withthe valve seat in contact with the plates and adapted to be impactedagainst the plates as the valve is forced to its seat, the plates beingimmersed in a mass of oil.

8. In a device of the character described, a casing provided with anannular recess, a series of plates therein, a cage having a part adaptedto be impacted against the plates, and a valve adapted to be movedagainst the cage in closing.

9. In a device of the character described, a casing provided with anannular recess, a series of plates therein, a cage having a part adaptedtobe impacted against the plates, and a valve adapted to be movedagainst the cage in closing in combination with a mass of oil within theplate-containing recess.

10. In a device of the character described, a casing provided with anannular recess,

a series of plates therein, a cage having a in presence of twowitnesses.

EDWIN A. PERKINS. Witnesses VMARY H. LEWIS, HELEN V. FITZPATRIOK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0.

